Synonyms
Prospective memory; Realization of delayed intentions; Remembering to remember
Definition
Memory for intentions is defined as the ability to remember to carry out an intended action(s) in the future. Remembering to pay a bill before its due date or remembering to buy a loaf of bread on the way home are examples of this type of memory. In contrast, the ability to recall or recognize information learned in the past (e.g., recalling the content of a movie seen the week before or recognizing the answer of a multiple choice question based on what was learned the night before) is referred to as retrospective memory. To remember to carry out an intended action(s), individuals need to remember that they have to do something (the prospective component of the intention), as well as what they are supposed to do (the retrospective component of the intention).
Historical Background
The ability to remember intentions and the distinction between important and unimportant intentions were...
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References and Readings
Brandimonte, M., Einstein, G. O., & McDaniel, M. A. (1996). Prospective memory: Theory and applications. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Carlesimo, G. A., & Costa, A. (2011). An introduction to the special issue on the neuropsychology of prospective memory. Neuropsychologia, 49, 2143–2146.
Freud, S. (1901). The psychopathology of everyday life. New York: W. W. Norton.
Kliegel, M., McDaniel, M. A., & Einstein, G. O. (2008). Prospective memory: Cognitive, neuroscience, developmental, and applied perspectives. New York: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Loftus, E. F. (1971). Memory for intentions: The effect of presence of a cue and interpolated activity. Psychonomic Science, 23, 315–316.
McDaniel, M. A., & Einstein, G. O. (2007). Prospective memory: An overview and synthesis of an emerging field. Los Angeles: Sage.
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Shum, D.H.K., Fleming, J. (2018). Memory for Intentions. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1135
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1135
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